21-10-2009, 08:46 PM
Silicon on insulator technology (SOI) refers to the use of a layered silicon-insulator-silicon substrate in place of conventional silicon substrates in semiconductor manufacturing, especially microelectronics, to reduce parasitic device capacitance and thereby improving performance SOI-based devices differ from conventional silicon-built devices in that the silicon junction is above an electrical insulator, typically silicon dioxide or (less commonly) sapphire. The choice of insulator depends largely on intended application, with sapphire being used for radiation-sensitive applications and silicon dioxide preferred for improved performance and diminished short channel effects in microelectronics devices . The insulating layer and topmost silicon layer also vary widely with application. The first industrial implementation of SOI was announced by IBM